


Cherished and Condemned

by ElijahChan



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, M/M, Minor Violence, My first fic please be nice, heavily referenced though, not as much magic as youd expect for a harry potter fic, set in 1945, the relationship was in the past dudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 11:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15047537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElijahChan/pseuds/ElijahChan
Summary: The war between the light and dark has been going on for years, its 1945 when Gellert Grindelwald is forced to face the past and Albus Dumbledore tries to end the fightoneshot on the final confrontation between Dumbledore and Grindelwald





	Cherished and Condemned

Cornflower blue sky shone in midday sun, Small, fluffy, floating clouds eased over the skyline in a sea breeze. Gellert scowled feeling exposed in the bright light, his shoes crunched over grainy sand as he cautiously glanced around himself. He was mad to say the least, all had been going perfectly well until _he_ showed up, then Gellert had been forced to make a retreat onto a nearby beach.

The beach was beautiful he had to admit. The ocean tossed lazily, blue as lapis lazuli. Squawking seagulls careened overhead, their loud cries disrupting the silence. Golden sun shone down like a proud mother gazing at her new born son, and it heated the sand beneath his shoes to a warm burn. ‘Incredibly peaceful’, Gellert thought looking around, ‘a shame really it’ll probably be destroyed by the end of the day’. Content that he was not going to be disturbed yet, Gellert set himself onto the sand gently, sighing in irritation as sand got into his clothes.

He set to work.

 

* * *

_He’d seen Albus back in the war zone, a reason why he’d fled, no matter what he said Gellert still couldn’t quite bring himself to face Albus. No, he wouldn’t be the one to initiate their inevitable meeting he would make Albus do that._

_Bitterly, Gellert pushed onwards clutching a silver blade that he’d nicked from a near-by soldier on the battle field, it wasn’t like the soldier would be needing it now anyway…Gellert had made sure of that._

 

* * *

 

Gellert sat on the shore. His pale skin shone in the sunlight. Light and wavy; his hair fell over his forehead hiding his blue eyes from view. His lips were moving slightly, muttering gentle curses and harsh blessings over his blood-soaked fingers that were clasped together as if in prayer. A white shirt, now dyed red, was tucked into black slacks that were scattered with sand and clung to his knees where the blood had soaked through.

The origin of the blood came from runes that were slashed deep into his forearms. Swirling letters and symbols that formed complex patterns in his flesh. Behind him a summoned storm churned on the horizon. Thick, black clouds and menacing wind surged forward slowly overtaking the calm seas in violent movements.

Just as Gellert finished his spell, he noticed a presence in front of him. Slowly, he reached for the blade that he’d discarded a few moments ago.

* * *

 

“Grindelwald.”

That was how Albus knew him as now? How times had changed it seemed. “Albus why are you here?” Gellert’s voice came out surprisingly gentle which surprised both him and Albus.

“I came to put an end to this madness Grindelwald, please turn yourself in, _for me_.” Albus ended softly.

Albus certainly must be desperate if he felt the only way Gellert would stop was by calling to Gellert’s ‘humanity’ which was actually something that Gellert had been assured multiple times that he did not have.

Gellert bared his teeth in a mockery of a grin “Now why would I do that? My hard work is just starting to succeed”

Albus looked resigned. “Innocents are dying, _please_ Gell, stop this and come with me. If you turn yourself in then you can get help, your sentence will be lenient. The ministry has assured me they won’t kill you for this, if you turn yourself in and tell us what we need to know then no one else has to die.” Albus’ voice cracked.

“So, its ‘Gell’ now is it? Just a minute ago you were calling me Grindelwald, isn’t that right, _Al_.” Gellert was starting to feel frustrated, how could Albus treat him like this? Making deals with the ministry, who did he think he was? Gellert knew he was a good for nothing traitor, but this was a new low for him.

Gellert took a deep breath. “I’m not going to come with you” he spat after failing to calm his temper.

“Then I’ll be made to use force Gellert.” Albus sighed, he looked sad, the twinkle in his eye gone, Gellert was impressed his acting had clearly improved.

“ _Force?_ ” Gellert snorted sarcastically. “Really Albus? Really? Alright then, show me this ‘force’ of yours, you traitor.”

Gellert dropped his knife and lunged to grab Albus. Albus whipped around. Long auburn hair flew behind him in the increasing breeze. They grappled, Gellert growled, smearing his blood over Albus’ face. Suddenly Albus shoved Gellert throwing them both back down to the sand, their faces were inches from each other. Gellert snarled.

“Why do you hate me so much?!”

Gellert gasped out a winded laugh, “Like you don’t already know. After what you did how did you think I would feel about you.” Albus shut his eyes briefly.

“It was for the benefit of the world!” Albus furiously exclaimed “You were going too far, people were going to get hurt. I had to leave. I had to stop you before you destroyed everything! Like you destroyed Ariana!” They were both back on their feet now, standing metres apart, glaring like they were staring at the devil himself. Wands finally out and pointed at each other’s chests.

Gellert’s storm was reaching a crescendo. Howling wind and rain sped around them acting out the emotions of the man who made it. Blackened sky thundered overhead. The seabirds had fled. Bitter salt stung their faces and burned their tongues as they stood panting in the chaos.

Gellert’s face steeled. “If you hadn’t left I wouldn’t have killed those people- “

“Your lying!”

Gellert growled “Don’t cut me off!” he shouted, “You know it’s true! You know you were the _only one_ who was there for me, the _only one_ who could stop me from spiralling! But you left! You. Left. Me. I was alone, and it was then that I knew that as long as people like you were alive then I would never win. Magic would never win, and the world would never be free. What I’m doing is all for the Greater Good Albus!” Gellert was crying freely now as he stared at Albus.

“I did what I had to do.” Albus’ voice was hollow and could be barely heard over the thrashing wind.

“I loved you!” Screaming, Gellert’s voice cracked. “I loved you Al and you left me. We were going to rule the world-”

“You can’t kill me if you love me.” Albus cut in, assured.

“Yes, yes I can. Because I can’t let you leave, you were mine but now you’re not and _no one_ else will ever have you.”

Gellert held out his ruined arm and pointed his wand out towards the sand by the frothing waves. Quickly he flicked his wrist and Albus’ confusion on what was happening came to an end when a flash of silver sped towards him and embedded itself in his stomach.

The knife, Albus had forgotten about the knife.

 

* * *

 

The storm became white noise, searing Gellert’s ears but not really audible either. Anti-climatically Albus slid to the floor, knees crumpling beneath him, silver blade stuffed into him up to the hilt. Pain. It wasn’t just ordinary pain, it was a searing heat that stung every nerve and filled his brain with a howling screech. The screech rose when Gellert walked towards Albus’ fallen body, to twist the blade before yanking it roughly out of Albus’ abdomen, unable to turn his gaze away Gellert watched as blood spurted freely out of the wound. Slowly, Albus gasped his last breath.

Gellert felt sad? It was strange. He knew he had just vanquished his greatest foe, the only man who could ever stop him, the only man who had a chance of understanding the leader of the enemy and making him stop, he should be happy, joyous, over the moon. But instead he felt as if someone had shoved a knife in his own side and there was this emptiness in his chest that closed up his throat and made him gasp for air. Hot tears strolled down his cheek bones, but they were lost in the soft rain that still spattered from a slowly lightening sky.

A bitter sob escaped him.

Gellert stared down at Albus’ cooling corpse, he stood for a while, lost in his thoughts. In the distance the battle had ended, fires were being put out and his army was moving about, counting bodies.

 

* * *

 

Gellert smiled, a weak, sort of cracked smile but a smile all the same.

 

* * *

 

A soldier strode purposefully over the beach towards his leader.

“Sir, the aurors retreated, we won the battle however losses were heavy.”

The soldier’s leader stood where he’d been crouched by a body. “Very well general, I believe it’s time we left” His leader sucked in a breath “We should let the failures mourn their futile losses”.

His leader turned without waiting for a reply and began to wander back up to the battlefield, leaving him alone on the beach.

The soldier’s eyes flicked over to the body. ‘So brave’ he thought ‘yet’ – he paused – ‘so unlucky’, it was the kindest thing he could think in regard to the dead man. Gently, the soldier bent down to shut the lids of the body’s glassy eyes. A choked squeak escaped his throat when he recognised the man before him.

Albus Dumbledore, the ministry’s light in the war’s darkness.

Turning quickly the soldier scampered backwards to follow his leader back. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it and I would appreciate comments or constructive criticism so I know how to improve :) <3


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